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Can I use over the counter shakes?
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: November 7, 2013
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“Can I use Slimfast® or those Premier Protein® shakes as part of my weight loss plan?”
This question invariably pops up during our Obesity Medicine consultations with patients. The answer depends on your situation and how low a calorie plan you choose, but the simple answer is no, they are not part of a medical weight loss plan.
At the surface, the labels of consumer available protein shakes look very similar to medical grade products such as Medical meal replacements. They have lots of protein, don’t have excess carbs or fat, and have several vitamins and minerals. These types of protein shakes are acceptable to use when you are replacing a meal or a snack. However, when you try to replace your entire daily intake and get your entire nutrition from an over the counter shake, you will be missing some very important nutrients and may get ill.
For example, you won’t get enough potassium with five Premier Protein® (70% of your RDA) or five Slimfast® shakes (85% of your RDA). This will result in a drop in your serum potassium levels, leading to the risk of potentially fatal heart arrhythmias or muscle weakness.
The same is true for sodium intake. Premier Protein® only supplies 70% of your RDA. When you lose weight, you also dump lots of sodium through the kidneys. As a result, you can develop dangerous brain swelling from hyponatremia. Slimfast® has even lower sodium content, providing only 45% of your RDA on five a day.
When placing a patient on a diet lower than 1000 calories or when replacing your entire intake with meal replacements, it is critical that you monitor your kidney and liver function, and electrolyte levels.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
Reviews
Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
